VIJAYAWADA: Describing Justice (retired) CY Somayajulu Commission report as a face-saving exercise for Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, APCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy took exception to the clean chit given to the CM. The report of Justice Somayajulu Commission, constituted to look into the stampede occurred on the first day of Godavari Pushkarams three years ago in which 29 people lost their lives, was tabled in the State Assembly on Wednesday. The APCC chief said the CM’s presence there at that time was the reason for the stampede, but the report seems to have overlooked it.
He said the commission holding the media responsible for the stampede was a big joke. “Providing publicity to a programme is the duty of the media, while it is up to the government to ensure the safety and security of people,” he said.
He said Justice Somayajulu has done an injustice to the victims’ families by submitting such a report.
He also asked the commission why it failed to consider the report submitted by the then District Collector on the incident. “It has been proved that there is no value for the lives of the people in Naidu’s regime,” the APCC chief said.
In a press statement, Reddy also lashed out at YSRC and its chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy for its propaganda blitzkrieg against the Congress. “YSRC MLAs have proved to be “anti-people”, by not going to the State Assembly and acting against the very spirit of democracy,” he said.